Sps question

[sealtea116]

So when is it ok to but sps into my tank people say the tank has to be mature or an older tank in order for sps to stay alive and thoughts is this true or is it just based on parameters thanks

 

[oldbones]

Based on my recent personal experience, it's based on more than just the commonly measured parameters. Yes, get that all under control and stable, but I wouldn't recommend adding SPS until the system has been running long enough to reach a reasonable level of 1) Stability and 2) Bio-Diversity. If your rocks are shiny and new, you may have a hard time with SPS. Give it a couple months, and wait until your rocks color up a bit and you have some visible critters living in your sand and on your rocks.

Your mileage may vary.

My new tank just passed the 2.5 month mark, and the rock was cycling for nearly a month prior to that in a brute container. Only in the last few weeks have I started to see some SPS doing well in the tank.

If you just have to add something earlier, like I did, consider the cheapest, easiest stuff like birdsnest, stylophora, hydnophora and monitporas. Plenty of fun to be had with those, lots of colors and shapes to choose from.

 

[thegrun]

What you really need is the ability to maintain consistently good numbers for your calcium and alkalinity with good water quality (low nitrates and phosphates). If you have big swings in alkalinity and calcium it is hard on SPS corals. In addition you need strong water flow and lighting. These are difficult things to maintain for a novice with a newly cycled tank, but it certainly is possible. Some SPS corals are very difficult to maintain, others are really quite forgiving.

 

[sealtea116]

Well a little back ground I have a 29 gallon tank that has about 45 pounds of live rock and has been running for 10 months now sps are good in there I am asking cause I upgraded to a 75 and I'm curing rock now in the tank and I am woundering when the cycle is down and all my rock is in place I will have about 90 pounds of live rock with a rw-8 wave maker so flow is good but can I put the month and acros and caps in the new tank ? I'm worried they will die off

 

[thegrun]

I recently transferred all the corals from my 50 gallon tank to a new 120 without any issues with my corals (SPS dominated mixed reef). As long as the additional rock is fully cycled you should be fine. I would expect some diatom blooms typical with any new tank, but as long as you maintain low nitrates and phosphates to keep the blooms managable your corals should be fine.